First Quarter 2018 Cargo Theft Trend Analysis

JERSEY CITY, N.J. — The CargoNet® Command Center recorded 293 supply chain intelligence events in the United States and Canada in first-quarter 2018. A total of 159 events involved cargo theft. Cargo theft reports combined in both countries dropped 23% year-over-year. CargoNet also noted a marked decrease in the average value per event, which dropped to $90,883 per event in first-quarter 2018 from $164,185 in first-quarter 2017. Other events involved fraud, theft of a trucking vehicle, or other police intelligence. In total, 98 semi-tractors and 119 semi-trailers were reported stolen in first-quarter 2018, down from 138 semi-tractors and 149 semi-trailers in first-quarter 2017.

Food and beverage remained the most stolen commodity category, but thefts of this commodity decreased 39% year-over-year. Nonalcoholic beverages were the most stolen kind of food and beverage freight. Household cargo and electronics cargo were the second and third most stolen commodities. Thefts of household cargo remained the same when compared with first-quarter 2017, but thefts of electronics were up 64% year-over-year.

Data from first-quarter 2018 shows that recent law enforcement action in New Jersey has been very successful. Cargo theft in the state dropped 60% compared with first-quarter 2017. Most states recorded decreases in cargo theft in first-quarter 2018. Other notable changes in first-quarter 2018 include a drop from 29 reported cargo thefts in first-quarter 2017 to 9 in first-quarter 2018 in the Province of Ontario and reported cargo thefts in Texas dropping from 22 in first-quarter 2017 to 14 in first-quarter 2018.